Masdar sets up 30MW of solar projects in Egypt

Sunday, 24 April 2016 11:03

The solar power will annually offset 42,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in remote and strategic areas across the North African country. (Image source: Unsplash/Pixabay)Masdar has completed and put into operation in Egypt a number of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants and solar-diesel hybrid systems with a combined capacity of 30MW and 7,000 off-grid residential PV systems

The Abu Dhabi-based renewables developer’ special projects unit was in-charge of the four projects that are expected to power some 25,800 local households across 70 villages and over 140 communities per year. The solar power will annually offset 42,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in remote and strategic areas across the North African country.

Between December 2015 and April 2016, Masdar deployed seven solar-diesel plants, totalling 20MW, in the governorate of the Red Sea and in Al Wadi Al Jadeed governorate.

The Emirati green energy firm also installed 7,000 standalone off-grid solar home systems, each consisting of two PV panels, two batteries with an up-to-two-days storage capacity and lighting units. The arrays were provided to homes, mosques, clinics, schools and community centres that previously had no access to electricity. They fall under a programme funded by the of Abu Dhabi government and were coordinated with the Ministry of Electricity in Egypt.

In addition, Masdar has built a 10MW PV park in Siwa, which meets 30 per cent of the area’s electricity needs.

Meanwhile, Terra Sola, a Bahrain-based investor and developer of solar power projects in the region, is in talks with the Egyptian government to build solar plants generating 2 GW of power at a cost of US$3.5bn.

The funding for the projects is expected to be raised through Germany. The plants may be built in regions including Aswan and Luxor on the Nile and Salloum and Masrah Matruh on the Mediterranean Coast, according to Gulf Times.

The group, which began talks with the Egyptian government last year, comprises RWE New Energy, Hareon Solar Technologies, Terra Nex Financials and a number of German tech companies including LTi ReEnergy.

Switzerland-based Terra Nex is managing a fund comprising German investors to finance the planned projects, while Hareon will supply solar modules and RWE will help operate the plants, a company statement said.

Egypt’s economy and energy minister Sigmar Gabriel said that German energy investments can help improve the living conditions in Egypt.